A recurring problem in playing the flute is the awkward positioning required of the hands and fingers for the proper control and operation of the musical instrument, which has an innate tendency to roll because of imbalance from the weight of the keys and other parts of the flute's operating system. Because the player must rapidly shift fingerings between all keys of the flute being depressed to some or all keys being open, producing radically changing support of the flute from the player's fingers, the stability of the flute is imperiled. This instability is reflected both in the difficulty of maintaining the ideal relation between the lips and the flute so as to produce the most perfectly formed notes and in the difficulty of changing fingerings quickly and reliably while also preventing the flute's rolling away from its ideal position.
Per the current state of the art, to stabilize the flute force is applied by the side of the left index finger that in turn transfers appropriate pressure of the flute mouthpiece against the flute player's lower lip. To create this pressure, the digits of the right hand press the flute outward, which, via the base of the left hand index finger acting as a fulcrum, transfers pressure to the player's lower lip. To hold the flute so as to avoid untoward movement of the instrument considerable pressure must be exerted. Maintaining such substantial, constant, balanced, stabilizing pressure, given the rapid and extreme variations in support provided by the player's fingers as different notes are played, is problematic and not always successfully accomplished, leading to the flute rolling about, and incorrect and/or poor quality notes being played.
A variety of hand-positioning techniques are advocated in the literature for better stabilizing the flute against unintended rolling, such as the Rockstro hand position. None of these prescriptions serve other than to reduce the flute's instability a bit, and a serious drawback of current flute playing techniques and all extant prescriptions for mitigating this difficulty is the need for substantial pressure to be exerted by the flute mouthpiece against the player's lower lip. For example, the Rockstro hand position is based on considerable additional pressure being applied by the player's right thumb to the side of the flute nearest the player, more forcefully leveraging it against the fulcrum of the base of the index finger, which contacts the flute's side furthest from the player, creating substantial pressure against the player's lower lip sufficient to more firmly fix the position of the flute and reduce its rolling in the player's hands. Such hand positions evidence several problems. First, they require an awkward and unnatural positioning of the thumb. The thumb is much more naturally positioned on the bottom of the flute than against its side, which can be done with this invention without any loss of control of the flute. Second, such hand positions require substantial steady pressure, which is difficult to maintain when moving the other fingers of the right hand, and which is exacerbated by the fatiguing hand position noted above. Third, the substantial pressure against the base of the index finger of the left hand is painful and fatiguing after a time, both limiting continuous practice and performance time and being a cause of playing errors. The necessary pressure is so great that it is common, if not universal, among experienced flute players for a substantial callus to form on their left hand at the point where the base of index finger presses against the flute. Fourth, and most problematic, such hand positions rely upon even greater pressure being applied by the flute to the player's lower lip, limiting the flexibility of the lips to shape and form notes in the most ideal way, which is especially problematic given the need of a flute player to widely, flexibly and quickly alter the shape of their lips, their embouchure, in order to best play all of the notes of the flute.
The provision of solid, stable flute-finger and flute-thumb connectors, finger retainers, permits much more stable and certain control of the flute, no matter the complexity of fingering any sequence of notes. When using both the index finger and right thumb connectors it is possible to operate the keys and retain control of the flute with no pressure on the lower lip or the base of the left index finger whatsoever and with no other body parts of the player in contact with the instrument. This stabilizing support being independent of operating the flute permits finger changes for any sequence of notes with little or no effect on the stability of the flute or its position relative to the player's lips.
That is, this additional stabilizing support does more than prevent rotation. It also provides material support in the vertical and horizontal dimensions, as shown by the ability of one to hold and operate a flute with this device without any contact with their lips.
Separating the amount of pressure applied to the player's lower lip from operating, controlling, and stabilizing the flute permits the player to completely flexibly employ both the lower lip and the upper lip so as to create the most pleasing notes possible. Even beyond this very substantial benefit is the effect of the instant invention of providing absolutely greater stability and control of the instrument, thereby facilitating quicker, more accurate and more consistent complex fingering changes both by reducing pressure on critical fingers and by generally increasing the stability of the instrument in the player's hands. Similarly, with less pressure required, playing the flute for an extended time period is less fatiguing and painful. Also, provision of a ring allows more consistent, repeatable and quickly attained positioning of the hands on the flute; one need only put the left index finger into the ring to quickly locate the left had in exactly the same, consistent, and correct position.
Another very substantial benefit of the instant invention over extant art is that it allows the flute to be safely played by children without fear of distorting the proper development of their gums and teeth. Many parents permit their children to start their music education only with a piano or a violin because wind instruments generally put severe stress and strain on the mouth, teeth and gums, which can distort their development. Because the instant invention permits, even encourages, the best use of the flute to be without strong, or even any, pressure on the teeth and gums, a flute so equipped can be used even by young children without orthodontia concerns.
Prior art in this area does not address the manufacture of new flutes, but consists only of add-on aftermarket enhancements to the flute. Additionally, prior art does not anticipate or even imply the enhancements comprising the important contributions to the art of the instant invention. Tanabe, U.S. Pat. No. 8,269,086 B1, provides a ring for the player's finger with friction pads that touch the flute. However, this device only helps to create some additional friction between the player's hand and the flute, but does not serve to fix that relation in any definite or necessary way, and neither does it reduce substantially the pressure against the player's lower lip needed to stabilize the flute. For example, the instant device of the current invention is so stable that a player can hold the flute utilizing only the left index finger and the thumb of the right hand, and without touching the flute to their chin or lips, as the current invention allows the player to otherwise support the flute without the use of any other fingers or pressure points. Additionally, Tanabe's device does not establish the consistent placement of the player's hand in relation to the flute because it is not fixed to the flute, but to the player's hands. Because the flute-finger connector of the instant invention is part of the flute, when the player removes their hands, the flute can be re-deployed instantly by merely inserting the correct digits into the ring-openings and playing.
Peplowski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,556 provides a rest and spacer for the index finger of the left hand and a similar rest for the thumb of the right hand. Ho Fan Lee, patent application Ser. No. 11/349,197, provides a somewhat similar device to that of Peplowski, but with a small amount of additional support for the thumb of the right hand. While both devices assist in proper placement of the hands, and in permitting better playing, neither addresses the inherent instability of the flute caused by the various shifting fingerings and the lack of secure connection between the player and the flute which results in the flute rolling about as the player changes fingerings to produce various notes. Thus, the current invention differs from these both by provision of a stability enhancing connecting device between the player's digits and flute and by, in some embodiments, omitting any spacer.
Guenther, U.S. Pat. No.444,830 A shows a vertically-played flute with hooks provided for the player's thumbs so as to better hold the flute in that position. This arrangement is common for vertically-played instruments such as clarinets, bassoons, etc. The instant invention is quite novel with respect to these devices as they would not function as it does with a transversely played flute. They serve only to prevent the downward movement of an instrument when it is held vertically and would serve no purpose with a transverse instrument.
Harris, in contemporaneous art, Provisional Patent Application, 62/446,401, filed at 15:20:22 Eastern Time on 14 Jan. 2017, discloses a related device. That PPA does not relate to newly manufactured flutes, but discloses an add-on enhancement to existing flutes which allows them to enjoy some of the benefits of the instant invention. In that application is described an attachment to existing flutes comprising a flute-finger connector of a ring, or partial ring, mounted on a pad. The pad is critical to this device as it both provides better conformation with the physiology of the player's hand for greater comfort, and also is a spacer of some thickness such that the player's hand is positioned at a more comfortable angle with respect to the flute, permitting more effective and less fatiguing operation of the flute. This device is removably attachable to an existing flute in a variety of ways, a number of which are shown in the PPA.
Harris, in contemporaneous art, Provisional Patent Application, 62/446,407, filed at 16:25:14 EST on 14 Jan. 2017, discloses a related device. That PPA does not relate to newly manufactured flutes, but discloses an add-on enhancement to existing flutes which allows them to enjoy some of the benefits of the instant invention. In that application is described an attachment to existing flutes comprising a flute-finger connector of a discontinuous ring mounted on arms running parallel to the flute, removably attachable to an existing flute in a variety of ways, a number of which are shown in the PPA. This device does not have a built in finger rest or spacer for offsetting the player's left hand. Omitting a spacer/finger rest is important in that this device permits the player's left hand to operate the flute exactly how it would have been operated without the device because the player's left index finger rests on the flute itself. This enhances the ability of players to adopt this enhancement with minimal change in their playing techniques.
Whereas contemporaneous and prior art consists only of add-on aftermarket enhancements to existing flutes, the instant device is integrally built into the flute during its manufacture. Thus, not only can the most effective enhancements most cost-effectively be incorporated into the flute's design and construction, but it can be done in a more beautiful, integrated fashion with no unusual or undesirable effects on the flute's appearance or function. For example, any removably attachable device may become removable at an inopportune moment, or shift about. In contrast, an enhancement built as part and parcel of the flute itself will not do so. Also, incorporating a flute-finger connector into the flute itself should not only provide the most solid mount, but, as no extraneous attachment mechanisms are used, scarring and scratching the flute from putting things onto and off of it is avoided.